4BY4 DESTINATIONS
Moab Utah, Tacoma Adventure
As you may imagine we go to Moab pretty regularly, so you may need to hit the main magazines to catch all the articles we do. Some say most magazines over-do Moab, or we hear I don't want to go during Easter Jeep Safari due to the crowds. The popular trails can get busy but we have never found we can't go somewhere due to 3-5000 Jeeps in town for the event and there are lots of other times of year you can go of course! The best part is seeing so many cool Jeeps all in one place at one time - there is no other place like it during the Safari.
There are other amazing places to go wheeling for sure - and many are far harder but few offer such a great range so close to town - in a city built around off-road and adventure tourism, that welcomes four wheelers so well. Then of course there is the long standing Easter Jeep Safari - an event the city councilors started as mining faded away and they needed to re invigorate there economy. I think it worked.
Click the picture for our most recent trip...
Oregon Sand Dunes
The Oregon Dunes are a great place to hit the sand. Far different than inland sand areas, the dunes are washed by the sea and even in summer the temps on the Oregon coast can be 20 Degrees F below the inland area. The dunes are broken into 4 main areas. Sand Lake off on its own to the north, then the three sections of drivable dunes stretching from Florence in the north, Reedsport in the middle and Coos Bay in the south. These dunes are dominated by quad riders but the areas are ripe for Jeeps and 4x4s and contain lakes in the middle, stands of trees called Tree Islands and of course driving beside the surf on the beach with twisting trails all through the scrubby headlands. My wife and I go as often as we can!
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SEMA 2017, 2018 etc... Vegas Nevada
What can we say about SEMA. My first show was in 1999, I've gone multiple times, have taken part for several years as an international product judge, and unless you live under a rock, or have no interest in the automotive world in which case your not reading this anyway - you know all about SEMA. The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers show just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Tents are all around the 1 Million sq-ft conference centre and I rarely get to see 20% of the show on any given trip. This industry only show brings out the whos-who in the automotive world and thousands of great cars and 4x4s are on display too, oh yeah and lots and lots of new parts every year.
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Vedder Mtn, Chilliwack BC
Every area has some great fun local trails and Vedder Mtn is one of those. Located in the north end of the Fraser Valley, Vedder offers some great local trail wheeling on designated trails without haven't to drive miles from civilization. This was my first time in this trail system for me and only steps from Chilliwack, BC and the famous, Cultus Lake rec area. Not hard core trail wheeling but a good challenge for any size Jeep.
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Potato Salad Hill - the one and only.
I'm sure you have heard the tails of the most famous hill behind the most scenic dump in Utah. One 4x4 fan rolled his rig on the hill spilling his potato salad all over the hill - and a name was born. Located up the hill and towards the trail entrance to Hells Revenge trail, the small climb attracts large crowds during Safari week as all types of vehicles from full-out race trucks to barely running, dragged them out of the back yard junk take on the hill to large cheers from the crowd - and inevitable roll overs spilling all sorts of stuff. For Easter Jeep week its a fun spot to hang out - as something always happens and the local state patrol are close at hand to make sure the fun stays fun and we can still use the area.
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Naches Washington and Rim Rock Lake
Located along highway 410 between Mt Rainer and Naches, Washington is an amazing trail system , most just refer to as Naches, or Rim Rock lake. This well mapped and marked trail systems offers some fantastic wheeling. Natural terrain such as old lava beds, tight tree filled trails and slick sand stone rock make way to amazing vistas over the Washington Mtn Range. Trail maps and signage are some of the best I've seen so its not difficult to find your way with a GPS. The PNW4WDA Trail Jamboree takes place here each year as well, giving new comers a chance for guided trails. You don't want to miss this area!
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Area BFE Moab Utah
This may be an Ode to a trail system now as new owners have taken over the property near Moab Utah and have changed access so its not open to the public anymore but for a time, Area BFE was saved by BFE Films, and fully opened to any drivers for a donation, Trails were expanded to includes names such as Green Day and Britney Spears, and of course in the centre Upper Helldorado, which was the first draw to these School trust lands before being sold the first time.
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Alexander MacKenzie Heritage Trail, BC
This rather long trail runs approx from Quesnel, BC to the coast of BC. Otherwise known as the grease trail, an ancient native Indian trade route between tribes, it was the trail "found" by Alexander MacKenzie via Indian guides when looking for an overland passage to salt water. Today the trail is accessed from several points (we drove in from Prince George and out at Vanderhoof) and takes users deep into the central BC forest. Easily drivable as a Overland route with amazing camp sites along its path it is one not to be missed to see some of what British Columbia really looks like in this area, far from any town.
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Cliffhanger Trail, Moab Utah
Cliffhanger trail can be found several miles out of town along Kane Creek Rd. Kane Creek Rd also provides access to Chicken Corners, Pritchett Canyon, Moab Rim and Kane Creek trail. Cliffhanger is an in-and-out route and during Safari week can be blocked for the official trail rides due to this. This has been the case for us in the past so I have never driven Cliffhanger till 2017. This rocky route is primarily inland with only a small section that has a tight cliff edge to traverse - the Cliffhanger part, but its a great trail for the "next step up" from the easier beginner trails. Strangely enough the entrance down from the main rd to the creek bed is almost the hardest part of the trail and getting back out again - but its a great trail that should be on your Moab to-do list.
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Tillimook Forest, Oregon
The Tillimook Forest area has a unique past. Three vary large fires in the 30s, burned almost a million acres of this forest, mostly started via logging operations. Due to this all of the foresters stepped out of their land grants (good info on Wiki search for "Tillimook Burn")and the restoration of this now working forest. What we get is an area criss crossed with some amazing challenging trails though the thick new forest and slick mud and rock filled climbs. There are multiple staging area for this trail system close to Portland Oregon. We entered via Browns Camp off Highway 6 northwest of Portland. along this route are also Lyda Camp, Diamond Mill and Jordan Creek staging areas.
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Reynolds Museum, Wetaskiwin, AB
While not exactly a 4x4 destination in the traditional sense this massive Alberta history museum focuses on transport of all kinds. Split into agricultural and automotive and a second aviation museum, the collection is vast. They have another building larger than both the display building filled with enough projects to last the volunteers a lifetime. If you find yourself in central Alberta and have a day to space - make the trip you and your kids will have a great time in this interactive display of early Alberta life!
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Saint Anthony Sand Dunes, Idaho
I can barely count how many times I've been to Moab and almost every time we pass right by Saint Anthony Sand Dunes just outside Idaho Falls, Idaho. Idaho Falls is also typically as far as we can make it from BC and still get into town in time for a hotel and a good meal on our two day trip to Moab. Finally Glen and I headed out a half-day early and made sure we had time for the sand. What an amazing under used area (which locals don't really seem to even know about as getting directions and on-line info is difficult at best), but well worth the extra day if your traveling to Moab from Western Canada for Central USA.
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CJK8
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